Clarification
by BoothGirlForever
Summary: A tag for the episode The Movie in the Making, dealing with what Booth said about Sweets. Not entirely favorable toward Sweets - fair warning.


**CLARIFICATION**

 **Tag for The Movie in the Making. I wasn't completely thrilled with the episode, but especially was not happy with what Booth said about Sweets. I will try not to bash, but in my opinion, Sweets stood in BB's way for years, whether or not he meant to do so. I am not looking to start any arguments, but needed to continue the discussion about that scene, according to my feelings about it. Obvious spoilers for the episode. Please enjoy.**

"Can I ask you something?"

Shoving the last dried pot on the top shelf over the stove, Booth turned to find her laser blue eyes studying him. "Sure. What's up?" She didn't answer him, but kept staring quietly, and he shifted, dropping his hands onto his hips. "Bones?"

"Can we go sit down first?"

"Yeah, sure. C'mon." Taking her hand, he tugged her along into the living room and down onto the couch next to him. "So...what, this isn't one of those weird sex things you like to spring on me without warning, is it?"

"No. Why would you think that?" Drawing her legs up under her, she slid sideways, propping her elbow on the back of the couch. "I don't always ask you sex things."

"C'mon, Bones. You ask me sex stuff at least three times a week, and usually without any warning." He clasped her slender fingers in his and brought her hand up to drop a quick kiss on her knuckles. "You love to talk about sex stuff."

"And you don't?" One delicate eyebrow arched upward. "You're much less squeamish about sex discussions than you used to be. I think I've had a positive effect on you."

"Yeah, but not for the reason you think." Narrowing his eyes at her mischievous expression, he tugged her hand again, this time drawing her close enough that she was tight against his hip. "I wasn't having sex with you back then. Do you know how hard it was to talk about sex stuff with you without actually **getting** to have sex with you?"

"Hard being the operative word, I imagine."

He growled and dragged one shapely leg across his lap. "Don't be a smartass, Bones." Her impish smile dragged an answering grin from him, and he angled toward her. "But yeah, that. So you **do** have a sex question, then?"

"No." As quickly as the humor had crossed her face, it now faded, until she was staring soberly at him. "It's about the documentary. Do you believe it?"

"Believe what?"

"That Sweets is the reason we're together?"

All traces of humor fled from his eyes. "What do you think?"

"I don't know what to think." She shifted uncomfortably. "You said it to the interviewer. Do you really think he's the only reason we're together?"

"No." He shook his head and linked his hands behind her, pulling her even more firmly against him. "Sweets was a great guy, really nice. He was family. But you and me...we were always going to be together."

"How can you say that?"

"How can I not, Bones? You and me, you know? I never lost faith. Not really. I said that about Sweets, but I was just..." A small sigh escaped him. "I just wanted to say something nice, you know? He was wonderful. He had a good heart, but he had no clue about us. Not about who we really are."

"What...why would you say that? I don't understand."

"Look at what happened when Pam Nunan shot me." Heat flickered in his eyes. "Look at what happened afterward. When he made that decision to **not** tell you that I was alive." The anger flared more brightly. "He was getting back at me."

"What?" Her hands had gripped his shirt more tightly at the very mention of the name. "What do you mean? No, I told you why that happened. That's not why he did it."

"Oh, yeah. Your theory that he was experimenting with us; studying us? Maybe that's true, a little. But I think he was also getting back at me for ignoring him about Pam Nunan. He warned me about her; he warned both of us. And we blew him off. But he was right. You think he wasn't angry about that? Wasn't pissed that we didn't heed his professional recommendation? I think he was mad as hell about it. So he struck out at us, because he didn't know you, and he didn't know me. He didn't think about the damage it would cause."

"Booth, no." The anger and self-loathing in his eyes took her breath away. "Don't think that. It couldn't have been that." But a niggling doubt had crept in, and she fell silent, eyes cast down toward their joined hands.

"And what about when he said I should push you for an answer? That I should make that move? I wasn't ready. I didn't think you were ready. I knew better than to press you too soon. But for some crazy reason I listened to him. And we fell apart again."

"That wasn't your fault, Booth. It was never your fault." She let go of his shirt to bring her hand to his face. "Don't think that." After a moment, she began to speak, then stopped.

"What?"

"You always knew we would be together – but you asked Hannah to marry you."

"Yeah, and I've had a long time to think about that, too. Sweets was there when I made that decision, but the blame for that one's all on me. You know why I asked her? Because I knew what her answer would be."

"Booth..." Instinctively she tried to sooth him.

"No. You might as well know the whole ugly truth. That's who I am. She'd always made it clear she didn't want marriage. Somewhere deep inside, I knew she'd say no. And I knew exactly what I'd do after that."

"But...you were so angry..."

"Yeah. At myself, for being a manipulative bastard. At you, for telling me how you felt and giving me a reason to decide to be a manipulative bastard. At Hannah." His jaw tightened. "For not being you."

She locked her fingers around the nape of his neck. "I won't allow you to blame yourself. It's my fault. Not yours and not Sweets'. For all my talk about logic and impartiality, I let my emotions dictate my actions for years. I was a hypocrite. I was." She interrupted his hot denial. "I made you suffer because of it. I'm so sorry, Booth. I'm sorry."

"Did you...damn it." He took a deep breath and tried again, his gaze tight on hers. "Did you think we would be together?"

She swallowed convulsively, her eyes huge and lost. "No. I didn't." Another tight swallow, and her eyes welled. "But I wanted it. I wanted it every day."

He kissed her then; he couldn't stop himself. "Don't cry. Don't."

"I'm not. I won't." She gritted her teeth and willed back the tears. "Because we are together now. And I love you. I won't ever be afraid of that again." She leaned in, sliding the rest of the way onto his lap and kissing his desperately. "Never."

"I wanted you, Bones. I wanted you for so long. I've wanted you forever." He slid her down under him, stretching out onto the soft, sinking cushions. Onto her soft, sinking curves. "I love you."

She arched urgently beneath him. "Yes. Yes, love me. Please love me."

"I do. I will." His forehead pressed to hers, their breath mingling, until her eyes opened to his.

"It was always you."

 **Well, that be it for now. As I said, a bit more serious, and definitely more contemplative. I hope you enjoyed the read.**


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